COMMERCIAL VEHICLE registrations: +9.9%** in first quarter; +11.1% in March

Brussels, 29/04/2014 - In March, demand for new commercial vehicles in the EU increased for the seventh consecutive month

CORRECTION: THIS PRESS RELEASE WAS REVISED ON 28/05/2014 TO REFLECT REVISIONS IN DATA

In March, demand for new commercial vehicles in the EU increased for the seventh consecutive month. Total commercial vehicle registrations grew by 11.1%, totaling 185,520 units. Growth was sustained across all segments of commercial vehicles. Out of the most significant markets, Spain recorded the highest upturn (+26.8%). Italy (+16.3%) and the UK (+11.0) also posted double-digit growth, while demand in Germany (+9.8%) and France (+0.3%) also increased. In the first quarter of the year, the EU* market expanded by 9.9%**, totaling 443,560** units. During the same period, Spain (+39.0%), Italy (+14.1%), Germany (+10.5%) and the UK (+10.4) all posted double-digit growth, while France was the only major market recording a decline (-0.6%).

New Light Commercial Vehicles up to 3.5t – 'vans'In March, the segment of vans grew by 12.4% to 157,333 units. Growth was sustained in all major markets including Spain (+24.7%), Italy (+20.4%), the UK (14.6%), Germany (+7.5%) and France (+1.6%). Three months into the year, 369,311 new vans were registered in the EU*, 10.6% more than in the same period last year. France (-1.3%) was the only major market to post a decline, while Spain (+39.5), the UK (+16.0%), Italy (+15.3%) and Germany (+8.5%) saw their demand for vans increase.

New Heavy Commercial Vehicles over 16t (excluding buses and coaches) – 'heavy trucks'March results showed a 7.7% increase in new heavy truck registrations, totaling 19,266 units. Out of the most significant markets, Spain (+55.1%) and Germany (+22.9%) recorded double-digit growth, while France (-10.3%), Italy (-11.1%) and the UK (-20.4%) saw their demand for heavy trucks decline. From January to March, the EU* market grew by 13.1%**, reaching 52,800** units. Increase was sustained in Spain (+48.1%), Italy (+32.5%), Germany (+25.0%) and France (+8.0%), while heavy truck registrations dropped by 31.4% in the UK.

New Commercial Vehicles over 3.5t (excluding buses and coaches) – 'trucks'March results showed a 4.2% increase in new truck registrations, totaling 25,262 units. Germany (+14.8%), remained the largest market in the month of March in terms of volumes, registering 8,585 trucks. Spain (+52.9%) and Poland (+7.0%) also saw their demand increase, while truck registrations fell by 11.0% in France, 13.0% in Italy and 21.1% in the UK. Over the first quarter, 66,999** new trucks were registered in the EU*, 7.6%** more than in the same period last year. Spain (+44.0%), Poland (+18.1%), Germany (+15.5%), Italy (+8.1%) and France (+4.5%) all posted growth, while demand for new trucks in the UK (-28.3%) declined.

New buses and coaches over 3.5tIn March, demand for new buses and coaches increased by 4.4%, totaling 2,925 units. Germany posted double-digit growth (+15.1%) and France (+0.2%) also recorded upturn in this period. The UK, which was the largest market in the month of March with 947 units, posted a 0.6% decrease in registrations. Over the same period, Poland (-0.6%), Spain (-7.0%) and Italy (-8.6%) also saw their demand decline. From January to March, the EU* market grew by 0.3%, totaling 7,250 new buses and coaches. Demand for new buses and coaches declined in Italy (-2.4%), the UK (-5.1%) and Spain (-13.7%), while new registrations increased in Germany (+10.7%), France (+8.7%) and Poland (+1.0%).